Taking a much-needed breather myself, I rest back on my heels as my child soaks in the tub. Hell, this was definitely not what I was expecting when I woke up this morning after spending half the night awake from the unrelenting pain in my shoulder. But I’m damn grateful that I have this woman here to help me navigate it all.
“How do you know so much about this?” I ask Jessa a little later, when I’m holding Callie in my arms as the nanny applies calamine lotion with a cotton ball all over her little arms and legs.
She shrugs. “I had it when I was ten. Then my big sister got it, and I had to help take care of her whiny butt.” She cocks her head and her eyes go extra-wide with panic. “Wait—are you telling me you’ve never had it before? Chicken pox is highly contagious. And they say it’s worse when you get it as an adult. You probably shouldn’t be around Callie right now. I can handle this on my own. I don’t want to put you at risk. And we—”
I put out a hand to calm her anxious rambling. “First off, this is my daughter and she needs me right now. I don’t care if it’s contagious. Bring it on.” I lift my arm and flex as I beam at Callie. I’m awarded with a weak giggle that fills up my whole heart. Jessa opens her mouth to resume her arguing but I cut her off. “Secondly, I’ve had chicken pox. I was just too young to remember what it was like.”
“Oh, good.” She breathes out in relief and I feel a tickle inside my chest. The woman really does care. I mean, she truly, genuinely cares. About my daughter. And maybe even me.
Our eye contact intensifies, as does my magnetic pull toward her. It really, really sucks that we can’t explore this attraction.
“She’s tired,” I note, moving my attention back to Callie. Jessa is done with the calamine so I settle my baby girl into her bed.
“Want me to read you a story, Cal?” Jessa brushes hair back from the kid’s face. The little girl nods wearily.
I kiss my child goodnight and back out of the room. I stand in the doorway and watch the nanny fussing over my daughter as they cozy up and get ready to read. Jessa makes it all look so easy, so natural.
I hate the fact that she’s looking for another job. I can’t imagine her walking away from Callie and me. It scares me how much I need her. I don’t know how I’d do all this without her.
28 Eli
I head downstairs, exhausted from doing absolutely nothing all day. I try to make myself comfortable on the pull-out couch, but my shoulder fucking hurts. I must have pulled my muscle really good the other day.
I pick up the squishy tube of ointment sitting on the coffee table. Peeling my shirt off, I cover myself in this nasty mentholated gel thing I bought at the pharmacy earlier. It’s Menthol City up in here.
About a minute later, I hear Jessa whisper my name from the top of the stairs. “Eli?”
I clear my throat. “Yeah?”
“You mind if I start a load of laundry?”
“No, go ahead,” I call back.
She creeps down the stairs carrying her laundry basket, her glowing energy instantly lighting up the dark. When she sees me sitting on the couch, her footsteps stutter. I feel embarrassment flood my fucking cheeks.
Yes, I’m blushing. Because I know I probably look like a damn goon right now. But Jessa’s face doesn’t show it. In fact, her eyes greedily roam my naked torso.
Our gazes meet. She clears her throat and hurriedly turns her back, giving me privacy as she tends to the laundry in the bathroom.
I don’t miss the fact that some of my clothes are in there, too. She’s been tending to us both, despite only being paid to care for my daughter.
I just wish I knew why. It’s not like I’ve been very nice to her. In fact, I’ve been a plain out asshole at times. Still, she continues to be her sweet, cake-smelling self.
In a matter of minutes, the machine gets going. I look up and catch Jessa stealing a peek at me. “Want me to get your back?” she asks when our eyes meet.
“No. I’m good,” I lie, reaching around to squirt this shit over my shoulder blade.
“You’re making a mess.” Jessa giggles. She approaches, snatching the tube from my hand. “Turn around.”
I shake my head. “Nah, I’m good.” Letting this woman touch me here in the dark at this time of night is a dangerous proposition.
She glares. “Turn. Around.”
At her dark tone, my dick hops.
Christ, she’s bossy.
My first impression of the nanny was that she was some dewy-eyed do-gooder but her fiery side is a pleasant discovery. It turns me on.
“Fine.” Reluctantly, I turn, giving her my back.
She kneels on the couch behind me and I’m so very aware of her body this close to mine.
“Ugh! This stuff smells horrible.” She titters.
“Tell me about it,” I laugh along. “And I’m the one who has to stew in it all night.”
“Sit still,” she says softly.
I exhale when her little hand rubs over my body. The way she’s massaging this stuff into my skin, across every inch of my back…it feels fucking amazing. I let out a groan, and give in, letting her hands have their way with me.
She doesn’t stop at just my back. I feel her fingers stroke down my bicep, too, and down my spine. She concentrates on every inch of me, taking her time, slathering my aching body in lotion, not stopping until the ointment is absorbed into my epidermis. I emit a low groan.
“You good?” she asks.
“Amazing,” I confess, groaning again.
